UPDATE 2026: Check out www.becomeasurveyor.com for all the routes into geospatial surveying.

Contrary to popular belief, apprenticeships are not just for young people starting their careers. Apprenticeships are one of the most cost-effective and impactful ways to upskill your existing staff, drive performance, and support retention.

Whether you are recruiting new talent or investing in your current workforce, our guide breaks down how apprenticeships work and what to expect as an employer.

What’s included in an apprenticeship programme?

Every apprenticeship is built around a government-approved standard, which outlines:

• Knowledge the learner will gain
• Skills they will develop
• Behaviours they are expected to demonstrate in their role.

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours, (KSBs) are developed through a mix of on-the-job training (in the workplace) and off-the-job learning (delivered by a training provider, such as a College, University or Private Training Company). 

The standards (outlining the curriculum) are all outlined on the government website which can be found here.

Embedded within the apprenticeship is an academic qualification – the TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Geospatial Surveying for the level 3 apprenticeship and a Bachelor of Science degree in the level 6.

Who delivers the training?

Only approved providers can deliver apprenticeships. These are listed on the Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Depending on the provider, training may be delivered via:

• Block release (e.g. two-week college blocks)
• Day release (e.g. one day per week at university)
• Online/blended options (increasingly common and useful for existing employees)

Example providers for Geospatial Apprenticeships are:

Level 3 – Geospatial Survey Technician

• Dudley College of Technology (block release)
• Riverside College, Widnes (block release)
• Suffolk New College, Ipswich campus (day release)
• Other colleges coming on board

Level 6 – Geospatial Mapping and Science Specialist (Degree)

• University of East London (day release during term time)
• Other options coming soon

If you’re looking to develop internal talent, speak to your training provider about flexible delivery models that suit working professionals.

Where do I advertise to take on an apprentice?

When recruiting new staff as apprentices, you can advertise through:

• Find an Apprenticeship – GOV.UK
• Your training provider (they often promote roles for you)
• Your own website, social media, or recruitment channels
• Sector-specific sites (e.g. The Survey Association for geospatial roles)

If you are using apprenticeships to upskill existing staff, there is no need to advertise—just identify the right individual and enrol them onto the relevant apprenticeship standard with your chosen training provider. 

How much supervision or support is needed?

Apprentices (whether new or existing staff) need a structured support system to succeed.

As the employer, your responsibilities include:

• Appointing a workplace mentor or supervisor
• Supporting regular 10–12 weekly reviews, also known as tripartite meetings, involving:
  • You (or the mentor)
  • The apprentice
  • The training provider

These reviews are required under ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency – part of Department for Education) funding rules and help ensure that progress is monitored, issues are addressed early, and the learning stays aligned to workplace needs.

When upskilling current staff, this structure reinforces their development and allows for real-time application of skills in their role.

You can learn more about your responsibilities as an employer here:
Your responsibilities as an employer – GOV.UK

What are the first steps to hiring or upskilling through apprenticeships?

Whether you’re hiring new talent or developing someone already on your team, the steps are largely the same:

1. Choose the right apprenticeship standard for the role or upskilling need
2. Find an approved training provider
3. Set up a digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account
4. Recruit a new apprentice or select an internal staff member
5. Enrol the apprentice with the provider
6. Sign the apprenticeship and training agreements

Using apprenticeships to upskill your team can align perfectly with progression plans, restructure projects, or digital transformation efforts.

How much will it cost?

The government covers 95–100% of apprenticeship training costs, making it one of the most affordable ways to develop staff:

• Levy-paying employers (annual payroll over £3 million) can use their levy funds to pay for training
• Non-levy employers pay just 5% of the training cost, with government covering the rest

If you are upskilling existing staff, you continue to pay their salary as normal. There is no requirement to reduce pay when someone becomes an apprentice. This makes apprenticeships a powerful retention and development tool—particularly for team members stepping into new responsibilities.

How are apprenticeships assessed?

All apprentices complete an End-Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their programme to demonstrate full occupational competence.

An EPA may include:

• A professional discussion or interview
• Practical assessments or observations
• A portfolio of evidence or project presentation

The EPA is carried out by an independent End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO)—for example, Verge365 for geospatial roles.

More information on EPAs can be found here: End-point assessment guidance – IfATE

Useful Links and Resources

• Hire an apprentice – GOV.UK
• How to take on an apprentice – GOV.UK
• Employing an apprentice – GOV.UK
• Set up an Apprenticeship Service Account – GOV.UK
• Employer responsibilities

The post Apprenticeships: your questions answered appeared first on The Survey Association.

Activity on the day will be getting up to date on education and skills and the need to identify exactly what is needed to make further progress in meeting the challenge of recruiting, training and providing a qualification pathway for young people in the UK who are interested in pursuing a career in geospatial.  As a profession, we need to understand what the next steps are that everyone can take, in order to build on progress already made.

This inaugural Geo:Influence event is taking place at Dudley College on Wednesday 14^th May from 10.00 until 13:00. We are delighted to say that so far sign-ups include representatives from a wide range of surveying and civil engineering companies, along with educational and academic institutions.

A panel will lead the discussion and update delegates with current excellent progress on the important education and skills initiatives already being put in place. However, the focus is very much on creating a tangible plan to take away, with key action points for everyone to carry out.

Katie Holt, TSA Manager, who has been one of the main organisers of the event, says:

“We are centring this day around identifying ways in which we can all work together to come up with effective solutions to improve education and skills in the geospatial profession. I am delighted with the enthusiasm expressed by many of those planning to come. We’re looking forward to an exciting and energising day!”

The agenda for the day is as follows:

09:30                Refreshments

10:00                Welcome and panel updates from key contacts

10:30                Discussion in groups

11:15                Break & networking

12:00                Feedback & actions

13:00                Lunch & finish

If you are interested in attending this event and collaborating with others to find effective ways to improve skills and opportunity within the geospatial profession, please contact office@tsa-uk.org.uk.

The post Geo:Influence – Education and Skills Day appeared first on The Survey Association.

The aim of the course is to demystify the technique of photogrammetry which has become ever more important in recent times with the development of lightweight small aerial platforms and “off the shelf” processing packages.

Most commonly associated with stereo photography and the production of maps, photogrammetry is now an accepted method of data collection in almost any sphere of measurement and competes well with other methods despite still retaining a slight air of mystery about it.

The course includes both classroom and outdoor field work in a total of six sessions. The classroom sessions concentrate on theory, camera calibration, control requirements, rectification and the use of multi-image processing software. The outdoor sessions concentrate on image capture. Most of the image processing software used in the course is now available at realistic prices and opens up the technique to a whole new audience.

The course can only take six students at a time and was fully subscribed within a day of promoting it. It will be run again in December and quarterly thereafter and it is anticipated that the course will form part of the regular short course offering from The Survey School.

Thanks should go to EOS Systems in Canada for the loan of multiple PhotoModeler licences and Agisoft for their support.

The feedback from the students indicated that the balance of theory versus practical was ideal and all attendees stated that they would recommend the course to others.

More information on the photogrammetry course can be found here.

The post Photogrammetry in the modern world appeared first on The Survey Association.

The aim of the course is to demystify the technique of photogrammetry which has become ever more important in recent times with the development of lightweight small aerial platforms and “off the shelf” processing packages.

Most commonly associated with stereo photography and the production of maps, photogrammetry is now an accepted method of data collection in almost any sphere of measurement and competes well with other methods despite still retaining a slight air of mystery about it.

The course includes both classroom and outdoor field work in a total of six sessions. The classroom sessions concentrate on theory, camera calibration, control requirements, rectification and the use of multi-image processing software. The outdoor sessions concentrate on image capture. Most of the image processing software used in the course is now available at realistic prices and opens up the technique to a whole new audience.

The course can only take six students at a time and was fully subscribed within a day of promoting it. It will be run again in December and quarterly thereafter and it is anticipated that the course will form part of the regular short course offering from The Survey School.

Thanks should go to EOS Systems in Canada for the loan of multiple PhotoModeler licences and Agisoft for their support.

The feedback from the students indicated that the balance of theory versus practical was ideal and all attendees stated that they would recommend the course to others.

More information on the photogrammetry course can be found here.

The post Photogrammetry in the modern world appeared first on The Survey Association.

“We struggle to find both experienced surveyors and trainee/graduates with survey knowledge.”

“Currently recruitment is our greatest challenge.”

From a statistical standpoint, 81% of TSA members currently have vacancies across all disciplines and 97% of members have recruited new staff in the last twelve months.

One of the real benefits of TSA membership is the ability to advertise jobs FREE of charge on the website. This page along with the List of Members is the most popular page on the Association’s website. When asked where they currently advertise for new staff, 78% responded that they use the TSA website. For new recruits, a number of companies also use the local press.

When asked what the biggest challenges facing them in recruitment, the answers were: – Numbers of potential candidates: 28%, Quality of candidates: 55%, Salary expectations: 17%.

One member stated, “When I have advertised for survey assistants in the past I have received many applications from candidates who are vastly overqualified and most of which do not have a good understanding of the English language. I believe some of them are using the opportunity to gain a foothold in the UK before moving on.”

Another said, “It would appear that the land survey industry generally has been slow to recruit trainee surveyors over past years and there is now a deficiency of experienced surveyors. 85% of our senior surveyors were recruited as trainees and are now working in senior roles.”

What factors could instigate change?

TSA is actively trying to address the quality and education situation not least of all by improving the training and number of courses available at The Survey School. One member picked up on this and wrote “It’s a real challenge in the current market to get quality staff. There is a lack of surveyors coming through at grass roots level, but the TSA course is helping to address this.”

TSA is also actively engaged in trying to develop an approved Apprenticeship programme although his will take some time to bear fruit. In the meantime, the recruitment market may well change in the coming months, as the dive in the oil price has put many projects in the oil industry on hold. This is sure to impact on surveyors working in this sector and lay-offs are inevitable. Those who have struggled to find qualified and experienced people in recent months may find recruitment challenges ease these as these surveyors look for new opportunities.

The post Finding and recruiting quality staff – TSA members have their say appeared first on The Survey Association.